Vol. 495 No. 7
187 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her Department has conducted or funded any study of integrated ticketing across different modes of public transport particularly in the Dublin area; the outcome of any consultancy; and the action, if any, she proposes to introduce integrated ticketing. [21269/98]
189 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the committee within her Department looking at the matter of integrated ticketing has come to any conclusions; and when the EU money allocated to the implementation of integrated ticketing will be drawn down. [21455/98]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 187 and 189 together.
A study on integrated ticketing, carried out by MVA for Córas Iompair Éireann, was funded by the Technical Assistance Programme of the Operational Programme for Transport 1994-1999.
The study was completed in October 1997 and confirmed that a more integrated fare scale would encourage passengers to make better use of the current bus and rail network. It also identified a significant potential revenue loss for the CIE operating companies arising from the introduction of an integrated fare scale and pointed to a need to examine further the issue of network and service integration.
A committee chaired by my Department and including representatives from CIE, Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, the LRT project team and the DTO was established earlier this year. This committee's objective is, on the basis of the DTI strategy and taking account of the MVA study, to prepare as soon as possible and in any event by 31 December 1999, proposals for an integrated fares and ticket system which encourages the best use of a network of routes and facilitates people who have to make more than one trip to complete their journey.
In accordance with EU regulations, the funds allocated to integrated ticketing under the Operational Programme for Transport must be drawn down by end 2000.
